SIR: In a healthy democratic system of government, an election campaign enables political parties and their candidates to prepare and present their manifestos and programmes, respectively, to the electorate. It is expected that an election campaign should be issue-based in order to achieve its goal, which is to enable the voters to make informed choices on the day of election.
On the contrary, the ongoing campaigns for the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State has been characterised by mudslinging, vulgarity, offensive rhetoric, foul language and character assassination. Instead of being issued based, the campaigns, which commenced on June 11, according to the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is fast developing into one of the most vitriolic election campaigns in the history of Nigeria.
Worse is that INEC has abdicated its duties as the regulator of the electoral process, with the mandate to make sure that all the parties and the candidates play according to the rules guiding the conduct of political parties and their candidates during election campaigns. The Electoral Act makes provisions for election campaigns.
Section 92 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022 provides that “A political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.
“(2) Abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language or insinuations or innuendoes, designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions, shall not be employed or used in political campaigns.”
The Act also provides for punishment for parties and candidates that violate the rules guiding the campaigns. The subsection 7 says, “A political party, aspirant or candidate who contravenes any of the provisions of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction-(a) in case of an aspirant or candidate, to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months; and
(b) in the case of a political party, to a fine of N2,000,000 in the first instance, and N1,000,000 for any subsequent offence.”
These provisions have been violated in the ongoing governorship election campaigns in Anambra State with reckless abandon. So far, gladiators who have visibly participated in this vile campaigns include the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) party in Anambra and incumbent Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, the Director of his Campaign, Professor Solo Osita Chukwulobelu and the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the federal party, the All Progressives Congress, Iyom Senator Uche Ekwunife.
I do not wish to apportion blames here. I will cite some instances and comment accordingly. Let me begin by saying that Governor Soludo and his Campaign Director, two distinguished professors, who should know better, goofed by attacking the educational qualification of the APC candidate and his running mate.
Besides, Soludo is an incumbent. A popular cliché says that “every election is a referendum on the incumbent.” Being an incumbent, he stands on a higher pedestal than his opponents in the election. If he has performed with the mandate given to him, it would be easier to convince the people to re-elect him, unlike his opponents who have not been tested.
When Soludo attacked Ekwunife, she fired back, saying both meaningful and meaningless things. I strongly disagree with Ekwunife that Soludo is an illiterate Professor. No professor, more so a professor of our alma mater, the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) is an illiterate.
Ekwunife stated that Anambra people have been suffering in the past three years of Soludo’s government. This may not be totally unfounded. Based on my own observation, one area where Soludo’s government has apparently not done well is the area of social protection for vulnerable people, including owners of small businesses. I stand to be corrected.
Dr. Chekwube Nzomiwu is an indigene of Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Council, Anambra State.
